Regardless, lightweight formula cars are MUCH cheaper to drive than production-based cars, as long as:

- Replacement parts are readily available (or easy to fabricate), and
- You don't wreck often.
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I'll second Greg on this one. Formula cars are much easier to work on than production cars. Most parts last a long time, although you'll probably go through lots of gearbox parts while you learn to shift the thing properly. Brakes, clutches, etc seem to last forever. Fuel costs are pretty minimal relative to everything else; I use a gallon of race gas every 10 minutes on the track. Tires if you want to be competitive will require replacements every two or three weekends. Formula Ford engines generally need to be rebuilt yearly, you can go longer on a Formula Continental or Formula Mazda. Take a look at the Pegasus catalog if you want an idea of parts costs. Most (but not all) open wheel drivers are very aware of the bad consequences of car to car contact and will give more room than the closed car drivers do.

On the down side, you'll tend to break things if you go off track, including sometimes just dropping a wheel into the dirt if there's a steep dropoff. Hit something, and you will be replacing suspension pieces, noses, whatever. You will probably need to change gearing for different tracks, which doesn't take long to do once you practice a bit but it is one more thing that takes time. If it rains, you will be very wet and wish you had a windshield with wipers and a roof. I've been bump drafted in a Formula Vee at Pocono, it was not a fun experience.

On the other hand, you can't beat an open wheel car for the feel of speed and the absolute joy of driving a car built for only one purpose, racing.